Protect Yourself and Report the Latest Frauds, Scams, Spams, Fakes, Identify Theft Hacks and Hoaxes
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Have you received an email from "Dr. Jabulani Thabo" at "MASTER MEGA MILLION LOTTERY" telling you that "your email address won in the second category" or something similar, and to contact "MR. ALBAN ALLEN" to collect your winnings? It is a scam. No legitimate, legal lottery notifies winners vian email (see footnote) The scammers may change the names and details, but it is still a scam!
Below is the example of the fake email scam (the email is the scam, not any persons or companies named in the email) claiming to be from the "MASTER MEGA MILLION LOTTERY".
Although the most important clue is that no legitimate lottery will ever email a winner, there are many other signs that this is a fraud. We have highlighted some of these in the email below, not the least of which are:
Email address ballot: There is no such thing as a "computer ballot system" or "computer email draw". No one, not even Microsoft has a database of email addresses of the type or magnitude they suggest.
"No tickets were sold": You care to explain where the money comes from? Perhaps the lottery money fairy? Why would a lottery give away money to "email address randomly selected by a computer ballot draw system"? This is CLEARLY nonsense: you MUST, repeat MUST buy a ticket to have a chance of winning any lottery!
Terrible spelling, punctuation, syntax and grammar - Scammers apparently don't know how to use spell checkers. We assume they dropped out of school before that class. They use almost excessive and random CapItaLiZAtion. They often can't even spell "February" or know that "22th" ought to be "22nd". These scammers usually write at the 3rd grade level. Being non-native English speakers, they also often get first names and surnames (last names reversed), so you will frequently see names like "Mr. SMITH JAMES.", instead of "Mr. James Smith", along with the peculiar usage of periods (full stops) and spaces or the lack thereof. Real lotteries also proofread their emails and look and read more professional.
Using free email account: The scammer is writing to you from a FREE email account (Yahoo, Hotmail, Excite, AIM, Gmail, etc.). Don't you think a real organization would use it's own email, it's own domain and website?
Keep Confidential - Real lotteries THRIVE on publicity - they don't want you to keep anything secret - the publicity causes people to buy more tickets. there is NO risk of "double claiming" because they can validate where the ticket numbers were sold. The scammer want you to keep quiet because they don't want the police or ConsumerFraudreporting to hear about them! It should read: "For our own security, you are advised to keep your winning information confidential until we have finished scamming you!"
Email notification: NO REAL LOTTERY SENDS AN EMAIL TO NOTIFY WINNERS. Period. Full-stop. End of story. There mere fact ALONE that you received an email saying you won a lottery is proof that it is a scam.
Here is a typical scam lottery winning notification.
MASTER MEGA MILLION LOTTERY
Company Reg No: 2004/079414/23
PHISICAL ADD: 30 BRIDGE ROAD, BRAMLEY VIEW, JOHANNESBURG 2090POSTAL ADD: P O BOX 890075, LYNDHURST, JOHANNESBURG 2106
IN CONJUNCTION WITH
SOUTH AFRICA 2010
WORLDCUP LOCAL ORGANIZING COMMITEE
MASTER MEGA 2010 LOTTERY LUCKY DRAW NOTICE This is to inform you that the Master Mega Million Lottery (MMML) and the Local Organizing Commitee (LOC) of the 2010 World Cup, here in South Africa, has held an Internet Raffle Draw, and your e-mail address was among the 10,000,000.00 e-mail addresses that was picked by the computer during the Second Quarter Raffle Draw (SQRD).
We are therefore with great pleasure, to notify you that your Email Address once again, happened to come out top number (1) out of the 10,000,000.00.Email Addresses, on the final ballot draw, and this has made you the jackpot winnerof the sum of US$ 1,000,,000.00 (ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLAR)
Be aware that this Internet Raffle Draw (IRD) was organised by the MASTER MEGA MILLION LOTTERY (MMML) and the Local Organizing Commitee (LOC) of the 2010 World Cup, to create awareness for the world, as South Africa is finalizing their preparation for the hosting of the 2010 World Cup.
BELOW ARE YOUR WINNING DETAILS:
COMPUTER DRAW NUMBER: 177
EMAIL CODE NUMBER: TTYEEWSSE2211775643000 FINAL JACPOT NUMBER: 0001
SN: 2010 / ILGC / LOC / ZA
WINNING INSURANCE POLICY NUMBER: JJA23ZA INSURANCE COMPANY: OLD MUTUAL INSURANCE SA REFERENCE NUMBER: EAASL/941OY1/04 BATCH NUMBER: 12/27/Du34 AMOUNT WON: US$ 1,000,000.00
Signed by:
Dr. Jabulani Thabo (Promotional Manager)
Note that this program is being sponsured by:
SOUTH AFRICAN ANGLO GOLD COMPANY
FIFA SUPPORT AFRICA
VODACOM SOUTH AFRICA.
Mr. Kuash Behler, Our First Quarter Winner of
US$ 2,500,000.00 from Amsterdam, Holland.
Our Second Quarter Winner Mrs. Ali Fatima from Nepal receiving her winning cheque of US$1,000,000.00 also on the picture is her husband and friends rejoicing with them.
Congratulations from all our staff and we also extend our thanks to the Sponsures for being part of our promotional program.
VIVA ! VIVA SPONSURES SOUTH AFRICA & VIVA THE WHOLE WORLD.
PRIZE CLAIMING INSTRUCTION:
YOU ARE HEREBY NOTIFIED THAT YOU ARE AMONG THE 7 WINNERS OF THE SUM OF US$7,000,000,00 (SEVEN MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS) EACH ENTITLED TO RECEIVE US$1,000,000.00 (ONE MILLION UNITED STATES DOLLARS)
To receive your prize, contact our Paying agent on the following Details:
Company: MASTER MEGA MILLION LOTTERY
Company Registration number: 2004/079414/23
NAME: MR. ALBAN ALLEN
THE DIRECTOR OF INFORMATION.
TEL: + 27 73 61 31101
EMAIL:mega_millionredemptionsa@yahoo.com
ADDRESS: T. 220A 2060HT,LONEHILL & MAIN RD,SANDTON,JOHANNESSBURG SOUTH AFRICA.
24HRS OFFICE HOTLINE NUMBER: + 27 73 61 31101.
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